Woodmen donate to local senior citizen complex

December 22, 2010

The Woodmen of the World Lodge out of Abilene recently made a large donation to the Sunrise Villa senior citizen complex in Sweetwater. Pictured are Kathryn and John Pendergrass of Sweetwater â€” Woodmen members and Geneva Meneses, housing manager at the complex. The Woodmen donated many everyday household items as well as food to tenants at the complex.
(Photo by Brett Smith)

The Woodmen of the World Lodge #136 of Abilene recently donated many items to the Sunrise Villa senior citizen complex in Sweetwater as part of the Assist Our Community (AOC) project.
Kathryn and John Pendergrass of Sweetwater are members of the Abilene lodge and were the coordinators of this donation.
Kathryn met Geneva Meneses, housing manager at the complex, at church and learned about the complex and its needs. This is the second request for assistance that Woodmen Lodge has received from Kathryn for the 13 tenants at Sunrise Villa. Woodmen Lodge agreed to help the tenants at Sunrise Villa by donating $1,000. The 13 residents received many everyday household items such as laundry detergent, bleach, dishwashing liquid, Comet, and paper towels; personal items such as toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo; and food items such as canned vegetables, oatmeal, pancake mix, syrup, cereal, sugar, Sweet 'N Low, bread, coffee, pudding, Jell-O, canned soup, jelly, cornbread mixes, peanut butter, pasta and spaghetti sauce. Kathryn even got inventive and purchased food items such as pepper, salt, eggs, milk, smoked sausage, chicken, five pound packages of hamburger meat, wieners, Spam, dry beans, Swiss Miss milk chocolate, ketchup, cookies, mustard, mayonnaise, other canned products such as Vienna Sausages, Cheeseburger Mac, beef ravioli, Beefaroni, and spaghetti/meatballsâ€”large and small, potatoes, crackers and Jimmy Dean sausage.
The largest fraternal benefit society with open membership in the United States, Woodmen of the World was founded in Omaha, Nebraska by Joseph Cullen Root on June 6, 1890. From its humble beginnings more than a century ago, Woodmen of the World has grown into a financial services organization large enough to offer security, but small enough to still care about each individual member.
Woodmen Lodge #136 is dedicated to helping those in need in the Big Country area by making donations to Sunrise Villa in Sweetwater, the Food Bank of Abilene, Meals on Wheels, Our House, Military and Family Support Group, Disabled American Veterans, and others.
Woodmen of the World provides U.S. flags to local lodges for presentation to non-profit civic and youth groups, schools, churches, community centers and other worthy groups. Lodges present American Patriot's Handbooks to new citizens, libraries and schools. American History Awards are presented to junior and senior high school students who excel in the study of American history.
Members receive discounts and special rates from a variety of prominent and reputable partners, including various travel, entertainment, technology and auto and home insurance companies.
Woodmen of the World matches lodges that qualify with dollars to help members provide assistance to their communities and to improve their own family activity centers and local camp facilities.
Woodmen of the World members share a commitment to family, community and country. Through a commitment to family values, they become more dedicated family members. Through volunteerism, members strive to be better friends and neighbors. Through a patriotic allegiance, members pledge to be better citizens. The Woodmen meet once monthly and donate to many charities throughout the year.